Health exchange enrollment reaches 7.5 million

Apr. 10, 2014
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Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius delivers the keynote speech at the opening of the University of Colorado's annual Conference on World Affairs, in Boulder, Colo., on April 7, 2014. / Brennan Linsley, AP

by Kelly Kennedy, USA TODAY

by Kelly Kennedy, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON - At least 7.5 million people have signed up for health insurance through the state and federal exchanges, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told a Senate panel Thursday.

"Last week, we announced that 7.1 million Americans have signed up for private insurance through the Marketplace," she said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing. "As of this week, 400,000 additional Americans have signed up â?? and we expect that number to continue to grow."

She said 11.7 million were found eligible for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

At least 200,000 people signed up last week, Dan Pfeiffer, senior adviser to the president, said on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday. HHS officials have not released how many people accessed the federal health exchange, HealthCare.gov over the weekend.

Enrollment continues at the federal exchange, as well as several state sites after officials said hundreds of thousands of people had started the enrollment process but had not been able to finish in time to meet the March 31 deadline.

The Congressional Budget Office had reduced its original projection of 7 million to 6 million enrolled by the deadline, but HHS met the 6 million goal before the deadline. Officials announced they had reached 7.1 million by the end of last week.